Milkymist™ open source sound visualizer

The Milkymist™ is an open source sound visualization tool. Its said to be one of the fastest open source systems on a chip capable of running uClinux. It features the LatticeMico32 processor core on a Spartan-6 FPGA (XC6SLX45). The project developed from Sebastien Bourdeauduca’s Master’s Thesis in system-on-chip design.

The Milkymist™ project develops a comprehensive open source solution for the live synthesis of interactive visual effects for VJs (video performance artists). It consists of three sub-projects: the Milkymist™ One video synthesizer, the Milkymist™ system-on-chip (SoC) and the Flickernoise VJ software. Milkymist One is also the first commercially available open hardware product to feature a SoC supporting accelerated graphics with open source Verilog design files. This makes it a platform of choice for FPGA hackers as well.

Documentation, including Verilog HDL design files for the Milkymist SoC, are available here, and make for interesting reading even if you’re not into sound visualization tech.